南沙群岛永暑礁第四系研究

水暑礁礁坪的“南水１井”井尺１５２．０７ｍ，采用了古生物与古地磁定年，＾１４Ｃ、氨基酸外消旋、铀系和ＥＳＲ等方法测年，确定该井地层属第四系，全新统与更新统的分界在井深１７．３ｍ，上更新统与中更新统的分界难确定，中更新统与下更新统分界在９０ｍ。永暑礁第四第划分为全新统南海组，０－１７．３ｍ，更新统南沙组，１７．３－１５２．０７ｍ（末到底）。     

南沙群岛永暑礁90多万年以来的海平面变化

于１９９０年５－６月在永暑礁坪上打一全采芯的地质研究钻井，编号为南永１总进尺为１５２．０７ｍ，对岩芯详细的地质年代学，地层学，相学和岩石学等进行多学科的分析研究，结果表明，永暑礁地区的海平面自早更新世晚期以及经历了４次上升和间隔的３次下降，形成了４个沉积旋回及其间的３个沉积间断。海平面呈波动式上升趋势。     

Temporal dynamics and persistence of sponge assemblages in a Central Pacific atoll lagoon

Sponges are important components of coral reef fauna, although little is known of their temporal dynamics. Sponges dominate the lagoon system at Palmyra Atoll in the Central Pacific, which may not be its natural state. Here we examined the temporal variability and recruitment rates of these sponge assemblages to determine if they are stable and examined the evidence that a recent transition has occurred from a coral‐ to sponge‐dominated system. We found 24 sponge species in permanent quadrats in the lagoon between 2009 and 2011, and 11 species on our recruitment panels. The sponge assemblage composition and abundance did not vary significantly between years and appear stable. Many sponge recruits were found in both years that the panels were examined although higher rates were recorded in the second year of the study. While it seems very possible that a change to a sponge‐dominated lagoon is associated with declining environmental quality at Palmyra as a result of modifications over 70 years ago, without pre‐modification data on reef assemblage composition this remains speculative. Our observations of short‐term temporal stability in the sponge assemblages at Palmyra highlight the potential for sponge‐dominated reef states to be maintained in degraded reef environments that are seemingly unsuitable for coral survival.     

Nature and stability of atoll island shorelines: Gilbert Island chain,Kiribati, equatorial Pacific

Islands rimming Pacific atolls typically form narrow, low‐lying lands that are commonly perceived to be particularly vulnerable to global changes such as sea‐level rise. As these, low islands form the only habitable land for many island nations, understanding the character of shorelines, and the rates and controls that operate to bring about changes, is an issue of central importance. The purpose of this study is to unravel the characteristics of coastal change on atoll islands of the Gilbert Island chain of the equatorial Pacific nation of Kiribati, especially as they relate to autogenic shoreline processes and El Niño/Southern Oscillation variability. Integration of field observations, differential global positioning system data, historical aerial photographs and ultra‐high resolution remote sensing images demonstrates the nature, spatial patterns and rates of change from 17 islands on Maiana and Aranuka atolls. The results illustrate that, between 2005 and 2009, ca 50% of the shorelines on these islands displayed a discernable shift in position; some shorelines were accretionary (at net rates up to ca 8 m year^?1) and others were erosional (up to ca 18 m year^?1). Long‐term net rates of change on Maiana between 1969 and 2009 were lower than short‐term net rates measured between 2005 and 2009. Both short‐term and long‐term observations illustrate some of the greatest change occur near terminations of the largest, north–south oriented islands, associated with longshore movement of coarse sand and gravel. Direct hits by tropical depressions and marked seasonality, factors interpreted as being essential in island growth and shoreline dynamics elsewhere, do not directly impact these equatorial atolls and can be eliminated as fundamental controls on shoreline dynamics. Similarly, observations over four years suggested that shoreline variability probably is not influenced directly by marked sea‐level change, although a recent increase in the rates of shoreline change could reflect instability related to the cumulative effect of a long‐term increase in the rate of sea‐level rise. Within this framework of global change, local anthropogenic effects, autogenic shoreline processes and El Niño/Southern Oscillation‐influenced wind and wave variability control many aspects of these dynamic shorelines. These results provide quantitative insights into the character and variability of rates of shoreline change, information essential for evaluating and mitigating the vulnerability of island nations such as Kiribati.     

Human impacts on large benthic foraminifers near a densely populated area of Majuro Atoll, Marshall Islands

Human impacts on sand-producing, large benthic foraminifers were investigated on ocean reef flats at the northeast Majuro Atoll, Marshall Islands, along a human population gradient. The densities of dominant foraminifers Calcarina and Amphistegina declined with distance from densely populated islands. Macrophyte composition on ocean reef flats differed between locations near sparsely or densely populated islands. Nutrient concentrations in reef-flat seawater and groundwater were high near or on densely populated islands. δ¹⁵N values in macroalgal tissues indicated that macroalgae in nearshore lagoons assimilate wastewater-derived nitrogen, whereas those on nearshore ocean reef flats assimilate nitrogen from other sources. These results suggest that increases in the human population result in high nutrient loading in groundwater and possibly into nearshore waters. High nutrient inputs into ambient seawater may have both direct and indirect negative effects on sand-producing foraminifers through habitat changes and/or the collapse of algal symbiosis.     

High‐frequency subbottom reflection types and lithologic and physical properties of sediments

Abstract

Eight types of reflections are interpreted from 3,800 km of 3.5 kHz profiles taken over a 25,000 km² area of the upper continental slope and shelf in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico off Panama City, Florida. The corresponding sediments in five of the reflection types were sampled in 77 piston cores from which data were obtained on in situ acoustic velocities (V), bulk densities (gr), sediment texture (mean grain size = Mz), CaCO₃ content (C), sedimentary structures, and gross sediment composition. A distinct bottom echo with numerous subbottom reflectors (Type I) is observed in deeper areas where terrigenous clay or lutite (Mgi = 9.9 to, gr = 1.4 g/cc, porosity (P) = 74 percent, C = 28 percent, and V (upper 2 m) = 1,435 m/s) predominates. Type I reflection grades upslope into Type IV, which shows a distinct bottom echo with fewer subbottom reflectors, and the corresponding sediment is a foraminiferal silty clay (mz = 9.4 to, gr = 1.43 g/cc, P = 73 percent, V = 1,447 m/s, and C = 37 percent). The uppermost slope gives indistinct, semiprolonged bottom echoes with faint subbottoms (Type VI) where calcareous silt (Mz = 6.6 to, gr = 1.57 g/cc, P = 65 percent, C = 70 percent, and V = 1,482 m/s) is the main sediment type. The shelf sediments (gr = 1.66 g/cc, P = 58 percent, V = sl1,530 m/ s), varying from coarse silt (Mz = 5.3 to) to very coarse sand (Mz = ‐0.3 to) and 25 to 100 percent carbonate, show indistinct, semiprolonged bottom echoes with intermittent or mushy subbottoms (Type VII). Prolonged echoes with no subbottoms (Type VIII) are observed in areas where algal sands of variable grain size (Mz ‐ ‐0.9 to 2.7 to, gr = 1.66 g/cc, P = 59 percent, V = 1,530 to 1,690 m/s) occur.

The major trends in reflection types (loss in depth of penetration, loss in number of reflectors, and prolongation of initial bottom reflections) follow gradients of sedimentary and physical properties of the sediments, which are increases in mean grain size, bulk density, in situ acoustic velocity, CaCO₃ content, and decrease in porosity. Increases in the reflection coefficient and attenuation of the sound energy in the shelf sediments are probably important factors in the observed decrease in the depth of penetration of the sound energy in the shelf sediments.     

地质记录中的海水白云岩化作用

地质记录中的海水白云岩化作用是广泛存在的。它不仅发育于时代较新的始新世地层内(如太平洋中的 Enewetak 珊瑚岛地区),而且也发育于时代较老的震旦纪灯影期地层内(如云南东北部地区)。在以前的白云岩成因研究过程中,海水白云岩化作用的普遍性和重要性被大大地低估了。自从 Saller(1984)首次报道了正常海水白云岩化的实例以来,海水白云岩化作用的研究已取得了长足的进展,如 Kasner(1984);Land(1985);Smart(1988);Tucker(1990);朱同兴、罗安屏(1993)等。近年来,作者通过对云南东北部地区震旦系灯影组潮缘沉积物的岩石学、沉积相、古地理格局和沉积地球化学标志等综合研究,认为该套巨厚的白云岩层(400—1000m)的成因不是原生的,而是成岩交代形成的,其主要的形成机制之一就是成岩早期的海水白云岩化作用。海水白云岩化作用的发育主要受海平面变化、沉积作用类型以及古气候等条件的限制。造成滇东北地区灯影期海水白云岩化作用的主要机制可能是位于其西北部的青藏大洋内的冷洋流向东部沉积物内泵吸,和位于其东南缘的扬子边缘海的海水向西部沉积物内循环对流(柯特对流)。上述的泵吸作用与对流作用的相互叠加可使巨大体积的海水通过扬子海域,尤其是扬子台地西南边缘(滇东北地区)沉积物,从而使其发生巨大规模的海水白云岩化作用。由海水白云岩化作用形成的白云岩的结构有序度中等,I=0.68—0.82,其碳、氧同位素组成均显示海水碳酸盐来源,δ~(13)=+1.8—+2.6‰(PDB),δ~(18)O=+2.1—+2.7‰(PDB)(冷洋流来源,Enewetak Atoll,始新统)或-5.1—-6.5‰(受地热和大气淡水双重影响而偏负值,滇东北地区;灯影组)。灯影期海水白云岩化作用模式合理地解释了区域巨厚沉积物的块状白云岩化成因、充足的镁离子来源以及多余的钙离子的搬运等白云岩成因研究过程中的关键性问题。     

永暑礁西南礁镯生物地貌与沉积环境

在海上系统调查的基础上提出南沙群岛永暑礁西南部礁镯并非传统的开放型环礁,而是一个封闭型的小环礁,封闭的泻湖能够为高分辨率古环境重建提供原生生物沉积。该小环礁可分为礁前斜坡活珊瑚林带、外礁坪珊瑚生长带、礁突起珊瑚枝块胶结堆积带、内礁坪枝状珊瑚生长-砂质沉积交互带、泻湖坡枝状珊瑚生长-细砂沉积带和泻湖盆底粉砂质生物沉积带共6个生物地貌和沉积带。12个礁坪原生滨珊瑚和2个礁岩滨珊瑚的^14C和TIMS U-Th测年结果表明永暑礁礁坪面形成于近代,它们没有提供中全新世高海平面的证据,约950aBP的中世纪暖期南沙群岛可能有过非常强的风暴潮。此外,1000年以内的珊瑚常规^14C未校正年代与TIMS U-Th年代存在显著差异,在环境解释中需要特别小心。     

永暑海区波浪要素变化特征分析

利用永暑礁测站1988-2009年共22a的波浪实测资料,对永暑海区的波浪要素的基本特征、变化规律、风与浪的相关规律进行分析研究,阐明了海区海浪的特点及其年变化规律。该区是热带季风气候区,海区的波浪主要受季风影响,季风时期的风向、风浪传播方向、涌浪传播方向基本一致。波高以轻浪和中浪为主,小波分析表明波高在6-9月具有3-6年的变化周期。提供了较详实的海浪资料及变化规律。     

The effect of a natural water-movement related disturbance on the structure of meiofauna and macrofauna communities in the intertidal sand flat of Rocas Atoll (NE, Brazil)

Rocas, the only atoll in the South Atlantic, is located 266 km off the northeast Brazilian coast. Spatial patterns in community structure of meiofauna, particularly nematodes, and macrofauna were examined along a transect through the sediment path from windward to leeward of the Rocas Atoll sand flat. Differences in benthic community structure between four zones of the sand flat were found to be significant and related to the major local processes of carbonate-grain transport and sedimentation. Both meiobenthic and macrobenthic assemblages were significantly more diverse and abundant within the sediment inflow zone (the initial part of the detrital path of Rocas sand flat) than in the other zones, where a clear impoverishment of benthic invertebrates occurred. This first study of the benthos of an intertidal sand flat over a reef island in the Atlantic showed that the meiofauna is numerically dominated by the nematodes Metoncholainussp. 1 (Oncholaimidae) and Epsilonema sp. 1 (Epsilonematidade), whilst the macrofauna is largely dominated by oligochaetes and large Oncholaimidae nematodes. Analysis of the species composition, trophic structure and abundance of both the meiobenthos and the macrobenthos revealed an impoverished community subjected to an intense water-movement disturbance.